Folding bed.



No. 861,060. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

, A. 0. THEW.

FOLDING, BED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. e, 1907,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES lNVENTOf? M L/"o Arman/ rs PATENT OFFICE. I

* ANNA C. THEW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application fi1a February 6; 1907. Serial No. 356,017.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ANNA G. 'Tnnw, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, (borough of Manhattan,)in the county and State of New York, have invented 'a new and Improved Folding B'ed, of which the'following is'a full, clear, and exact description.

. This invention relates ,to certain-improvements in folding beds, and more particularly to means whereby the bed may be concealed'and supported in the minimum-amount of space when not in use, and capable of being separated from itsinclosing casing and moved to any point desired when about to be used. The inclosing casing is so constructed as to resemble as nearly as possible a bookcase, and the upper portion of the casing is adapted to constitute a storage space for bedding and the like.

characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in 5 all the figures, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved construction, the curtain being shown as pulled aside at the right-hand portion; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the bed and showing the inclosing casing in section; Fig. 3 is a f front elevation of one end of the bed; and Fig. 4 is a detailshowing the'method of rigidly securing the legs in place. Y

In the specific form of the inventionwhich 'I have illustrated in the drawings, I employ an inclosing easing having solid endwells '10 supporting a top 11 and connected together across the back by a plurality of slats or bars 12. The top of the casing adjacent the rear side supports anornamental back 13, and suspended from a suitable rod 14 adjacent the front side of the top 11 is a I curtain 15 adapted to conceal from view the interior of the casing. The entire casing is constructed to representas nearly'as possible, a bookcase, the end and top walls .lieingpreferably constructed of polished wood.

Adapted'to be supported within this casing, I provide a bedstead preferably entirely constructed of a 'metal and having the legs so attached thereto as to peralong its opposite'sides. The rectangular frame above described supports the springs, which latter are rigidly secured to the frame in any suitable manner. Preferably, the main body 19 of the springs is connected to a cross member 20, which latter is connected to the first mentioned cross member 16 by a plurality of coil springs 21. The mattress 22 rests directly upon the springs and is firmly held in place by means of tapes or straps 23 located at intervals along the length of the bed and so connected that the members may be readily detached fromthe springs whenever desired. As shown, each tape or strap 23 is sewed or otherwise secured to the mattress along its longitudinal edges adjacent the under side, and each tape or strap is then wrapped one or more times about the longitudinal members 17 and brought up and over the top of the mattress and tied to the end of a similar tape or strap secured to the opposite side of the mattress.

It is evident that the mattress may be secured to the springs in various other ways than that above described, it only being necessary that the mattress shall be so secured that it will not be displaced when the bed is folded within the inclosing casing, and so that it may be readily detached whenever desired. As shown, the mattress 22 is protected by a covering 24 lying intermediate the straps and the mattress and serving to preserve the latter in a more cleanly and sanitary condition.

The frame of the bed is supported at the rear side by legs 25 pivotally mounted upon the rear longitudinal member 17 and rigidly connected together and spaced by longitudinal braces 26. Each leg is prefer ably formed of a strip of metal 27 inclosing the longitudinal member 17 and having its ends parallel to form the body of the leg. The opposite ends are held rigid and the ends of the braces 26 are held therebeconnected to a cross member 29 of a width slightly greater than the combined width of the bed frame and mattress and having casters 30 adjacent its opposite ends. The front legs 31 are constructed similar to the rear legs in all particulars, save that the lower ends of the front legs are connected directly to casters '32 instead of to cross members 29. In order to hold the legs rigid in respect to the frame, I preferably provide pins 33 adapted for insertion through openings in the longitudinal members 17 and the portions of the legs which inclose the same. When the bed is lowered to the desired position and the legs extend downwardly therefrom, the pins are inserted and positively prevent the legs from folding beneath the bed to permit the latter to drop. These pins are preferably connected to a portion of the frame by small chains or cords 34, which prevent the pins from becoming misplaced or lost.

It will thus be noted that the bed proper is entirely tween by suitable bolts 28, as illustrated more clearly :in Fig. 4. The lower end of each rear leg is rigidly free from and unattached to the casing, and when lowered to its operative position, it may be readily moved to any portion of the room desired. The bed is as strong and as rigidly constructed as any wellknown form of metal bedstead and has all of the wellknown advantages thereof, but has the added advan; tage of being very readily and quickly moved to the desired position with one edge thereof Within the casing and then folded to a position whereby it may be entirely concealed from view by means of the curtain 15.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the front edge of the bed is lifted until the frame lies in a substantially vertical plane and the mattress rests against the slats 12 forming the rear side of the casing, after which the pins 33 are removed and the legs permitted to drop to the position illustrated in Fig. 1. The width of the cross braces 29 at the lower ends of the legs 25 constitute a firm support for the bed and prevent it from accidentally falling from the casing, although it is evident that any suitable form of hooks or other securing means may be employed to hold the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

As shown, the casing is provided with a cross bar 35 extending across the front at the lower side and adjacent the lower edge of the curtain 15. This bar may, if desired, be omitted, but by employing the same,

. the device is caused to look more like a bookcase, the

lower edge of the curtain is held in place, and objects are prevented from rolling beneath the device. When it is desired to move the bed out from the casing, it is merely necessary to lift the rear side of the bed over this small bar 35, and the bed may then be readily moved about the room.

When the bed is in its folded position, the mattress comes in contact with the slats l2, and as these alone constitute the back of the casing, it is evident that the face of the mattress is exposed to the free circulation of air during the entire day when the bed is not in use. These slats 12 are preferably secured to the rear edges of the ends 10 rather than being inserted within said ends, whereby it is rendered impossible to shove the casing so closely in contact with the wall that the circulation of air is prevented.

Within the casing and located closely adjacent the front of the bed when the latter is in its folded position, I provide a shelf 36 serving to sub-divide the interior of the casing into two separate compartments,

and serving to support bed linen, pillows, and the like when the bed proper is in its folded or concealed position. The bedding may thus be stored within the same casing as the bed and be ready for instant application to the bed when it is desired to use the latter.

If desired, the mattress may be provided with a suitable cover and the bed be used as a couch, and instead of concealing the interior of the casing by the use of curtains, it is evident that doors may be substituted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a casing having end walls, a back wall and an open front, a bar connecting the end walls at the front lower portion, and a bed unattached to said casing and having legs pivotally connected to one side of said bed, each of said legs having a plurality of points of support at its lower end, and a plurality of legs pivotally connected to said bed adjacent the opposite side thereof, said bed adapted to fold within said casing and be supported vertically upon said first mentioned legs, the upper edge of the bed normally resting against the back wall of the casing but unattached thereto and the supporting legs prevented from lateral movement out of the casing by said bar.

2. A folding bed having a frame, tubular longitudinal members carried by said frame adjacent the opposite sides thereof, legs pivotally connected to said tubular longi tudinal members, each of said legs comprising a metal band inclosing its respective tubular member and having its ends lying substantially parallel and forming the body of the leg, and metal braces connecting said legs in pairs, two of said legs having cross members and a plurality of points of support at their lower ends, and the remaining two 01: said legs being provided with means for rigidly connecting them to their supporting tubular members at substantially right angles to the frame.

3. In combination, a folding bed having a frame formed of a plurality of crossed angle irons, brackets carried by.

each of said angle irons adjacent its ends, tubular 1ongitudinal members mounted within said brackets, braces connected to said angle irons, legs pivotally connected to said tubular longitudinal members, each of said legs comprising a metal band inclosing said tubular members and having its ends lying substantially parallel and forming the body of the leg, metal braces connecting said legs in pairs, two of said legs having cross members and a plurality of points of support at their lower ends, and the remaining two of said legs being provided with removable pins for rigidly connecting them to said tubular member at substantially right angles to the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANNA C. THEW. Witnesses PERRY C. IFEIFFnn, BUTLER C. PFEIFFER. 

